This Information is not intended as a substitute for professional medical care. Only your doctor can diagnose and treat a medical problem.

PREVENTION

In adults, Coronary Heart Disease (CHD) is the leading cause of death. Many people develop symptoms when they are in their 40’s and 50’s. The best way to assess your chances of developing CHD is to look at your risk factors. With life-style changes that address your risk factors your chances of developing CHD can be significantly reduced.

Stroke is the leading cause of disability and the third leading cause of death in the United States. Strokes kill about 150,000 Americans each year. Early treatment can prevent or lessen the damage in 4 out of 5 strokes. Strokes can be prevented. There are many factors that increase your risk of having a stroke. The more risk factors you have, the greater your risk.

This Information is not intended as a substitute for professional medical care. Only your doctor can diagnose and treat a medical problem.

"My Life Check”: A Heart Health AssessmentMillion Hearts is a national initiative to prevent 1 million heart attacks and strokes over the next five years. Heart disease and stroke are two of the leading causes of death in the United States. Million Hearts brings together communities, health systems, nonprofit organizations, federal agencies, and private-sector partners from across the country to fight heart disease and stroke.

The National Institutes of Health:provides consumer heath information where you can access information about everything imaginable - from preventing heart disease to vasectomy to depression to diabetes.

American Heart Association:It contains a simple test for assessing risk of heart disease and loads of information about healthy living, diet, support groups, reference materials, and more.

Healthfinder:is a consumer information site from the United States government. Type in any topic and it will take you to on-line publications, databases, other Web sites, support groups, governmental agencies and other organizations that provide reliable information.

American Diabetes Association:The American Diabetes Association is the nation's leading 501(C)3 nonprofit health organization providing diabetes research, information and advocacy.

The National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute:is a federal government (National Institutes of Health) site with information on the prevention and treatment of heart, lung, and blood diseases and sleep disorders. The information line on heart health (800-575-WELL) gives recorded messages in English about how to prevent and treat high blood pressure and high blood cholesterol.

National coalition for Women with Heart Disease:WomenHeart is the nation's only national patient advocacy organization serving the 8,000,000 American women living with heart disease. It provides them with support and information on early detection, accurate diagnosis and proper treatment, and aims to improve their quality of life and healthcare. Be sure to review their Women and Heart Disease Fact Sheet.